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rebeldreams
03-04-2003, 02:00 PM
Hi all - I was hoping for some feedback on this issue.

I always used to model in NUBS, but recently got into polygonal modelling (thanks to The Dave Way modelling tutorial). I really love the way that polys and sub-Ds give you fine control over a mesh... but here's the issue. Animating a polymesh head is a pain in the arse. Grabbing bunches of vertex points, movng, smoothing... I use Maya, and I don't seem to be able to use wire deformers in the same way as I would on a NURBS surface. So, on to my question;

What is the preferred method of modelling complex facial expressions on a character, and if polys is still the preferred modelling method, can anyone help me with a brief idea of the best was to do this in Maya on polys?

Cheers, and I shall post the results of this on the WIPs board as and when I get there.

~C
bugo
03-04-2003, 03:40 PM
I think that what is the best way to get close in face animation and all that finda stuff is with Nurbs, but for those who have better machines then need to go for SubDiv! Coz the two methods have nice modeling in what they can do in a surface, coz in the geometry all of those methods works with polygons in their ways. With polygons you will need to smooth too much if you want a great picture of it, but the performance will be the best, editing it and rendering it! If i am wrong please somebody tell me!

I like so much to do low-polygons, i think that is the best way to start modeling! :cool:

Bye!
stunndman
03-04-2003, 04:50 PM
i'm far from being experienced with facial animation - so that's just a guess - are you working with a low poly cage (box modeling) ? - wouldn't you just deform your cage which should not be too complex anyway ?
rebeldreams
03-04-2003, 05:06 PM
Yeah, I could deform a low-poly cage, stunndman, but it doesnt give really fine control over expression. For example, the sor tof fine expression seen in Final Fantasy; were they polys, and if so, how were they deformed that well? I've only ever found NURBS to be that fine in terms of control..
stunndman
03-04-2003, 05:19 PM
as i said - i'm really the last one who should try to give any advice on facial animation - anyway i'm curious

what kind of deformation are you refering to - wrinkles ?

and why don't you use subdiv for your final model ? once your poly cage is done couldn't you switch to subdivs and add the final touch (like wrinkles) and then deform the subdiv proxy ?

as far as i understand subdivs are just perfect for wrinkles because of their nurbs like (<- just hear say :) nature

anyone?
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